So Much to Explore!

About the Yaak River Area

Considered by some to be one of the last wild places in the lower 48 states,the Yaak River Valley is an 800,000-acre area filled with aspen, pine and larch trees and bordered by the Kootenai River to the south and Lake Koocanusa to the east. With 1,200 miles of forest service roads and trails throughout, only a small fraction of the Yaak is privately owned, ​with the majority of it under the care of the Kootenai National Forest.

Traveling on State Highway 508 to the Yaak, it's not unusual to spot whitetail and mule deer alongside the road. The area is home to moose, elk, grizzly and black bears, mountain lions, as well as grouse, ospreys, eagles, hawks, blue herons and kestrels -- to name a few. Even an occasional woodland caribou or wolf.

The region is a water wonderland. On Highway 508 about seven miles from Highway 2 is Yaak Falls, a powerful cascading waterfall that joins the Kootenai River downstream. In addition to the Yaak River, there are more than 1,400 miles of streams, creeks and rivers with names like Caribou, Hell Roaring and Solo Joe. The Yaak also has the Northwest Peaks Scenic Area, offering spectacular views of the Purcell mountain range.

A Bit of History

Settlers wandered into the Yaak Valley from Canada in the 1860s, with the first homestead said to be in 1906. For decades the area was untouched by modern conveniences like electricity, running water, indoor plumbing and phones. Mail was brought in once a week from nearby Troy, and the Mercantile store, which has served the area since the 1930s, had one of the area's first phones. Although most in the region have stepped into the 21st century, a few still live a rustic lifestyle sans contemporary comforts. Most build their homes off the highway, tucked close to the river.

How the Yaak Got it's Name

How the Yaak got its name is slightly debated. The popular theory is the Yaak is derived from the Indian word "ahk" which means arrow. Seems logical since Kootenai in Indian means "bow." But there are a few holdouts who claim that the area is named after the Native American word for caribou that migrated in from the north.